Advertisement

UCS is one of only eight school districts in the nation to receive a Foreign Language Assistance Program grant, and one of only two in the state of Michigan. The funding is intended to support new, innovative or expanded programs of foreign language study for elementary and secondary school students, resulting in a superior level of language proficiency.

UCS Superintendent Christine Johns said the program will be partially instituted with the International Baccalaureate Academy next year at Heritage Junior High School. After a year of planning, the program will be put into place from kindergarten-12th grades, beginning at Oakbrook Elementary School, Heritage Junior High School and Stevenson High School.

Johns said China’s recent entry into the automotive industry means many working in Detroit’s automotive industry in the future will need to know the Chinese language to succeed and compete in the marketplace.

“I think the importance of China in the global marketplace and their growth in the economy makes it apparent that there’s an opportunity for partnership,” said Johns. “This program will give our students the tools to succeed in that global marketplace.”

The Department of Education’s goal is to address the nation’s shortage of speakers of languages that are critical to national security.

“With our increasing global economy and national security needs, it’s crucial that we have as many citizens as possible who can communicate in languages such as Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Korean and Hindi,” U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings said in a recent release.

Districts awarded the funding are working in partnership with institutions of higher learning to develop the language study programs. UCS has already forged significant ties to the U.S.-China Institute at Michigan State University. In January the UCS Board of Education approved the formation of a partnership between UCS, Armada Area Schools, Michigan State University and the Chongqing, China Municipal Education Commission. Chongqing is a manufacturing area of China and the Ford Motor Company already has a strong presence in the area.

“This new program fits right in with that,” Johns said. “In fact, I believe one of the reasons we received this grant is because of our partnership with Chongqing.”

The Utica district intends to use the grant to establish a partial-immersion language program in Mandarin Chinese at Oakbrook Elementary School, which feeds into Heritage Junior High School.

Heritage is home to the district’s new International Baccalaureate Academy, thus, the grant also creates an opportunity for students enrolled in either the regular junior high program at Heritage or the IB Academy to receive instruction in Mandarin Chinese.

Students could continue study at Stevenson High School, where Mandarin Chinese will be offered, as well. By the end of the five-year grant period, an estimated 650 UCS students will have participated.

“What’s unique about this Chinese program is that it will be a true K-12 program,” Johns said. “The idea you have in place is a program where students from kindergarten to age 16 will be matriculating into a Chinese program each year.”

Under the grant, high school students who attend the district’s Utica Center for Mathematics, Science and Technology and the new Utica Center for Science and Industry will also have the opportunity to study Mandarin Chinese.

Michigan State University is recruiting, training and supporting Mandarin Chinese teachers who will provide instruction and offer professional development for the district’s general education teachers working in the partial immersion program.

U.S. Sen. Carl Levin and U.S. Rep. Candice Miller supported the district’s efforts to secure the Foreign Language Assistance Program grant.

“We are thrilled with the aspect of providing instruction in Mandarin Chinese to our students,” said Johns. “The grant is another example of our efforts in Utica Community Schools to secure additional monies beyond limited state funding so that we can continue to offer our students the best possible educational opportunities.” ed